Your Welcome Poison
by Bubblegum234
Summary: Tessa and Will have always been best friends, despite their oppsite natures. Tessa is the good girl, the prude, the reserved one. The reliable and stable one. Will is the typical trademar4k bad boy player with a soft core reserved for ones he loves. Now that they are stepping out into the world, standing up and providing for themselves, things could go grossly wrong.
1. Chapter 1

**Right, so I have terrible will power and I had to do this. Besides, it's not like anything I've ever written before. While reading this, I'd like you guys to remember that this is the first time I'm writing a multi-chapter all human AU and that I can, and probably will, make loads of mistakes. And you guys will point them out in the reviews because you're just that great. (No choice guys, I wouldn't know how to give you my best if I don't know what I'm bad at. It's simple logic)**

 **Just as a heads up, this is basically the extended, complete version of the Wessa/Jessa story I wrote on 'Musical Shots' because I wanted to explore how far I could expand those characters. So yes, I know that the story won't be much of a surprise, but I kind of hope that knowing what I want to do with the plot will get you guys more involved. Anyway, onwards.**

Tessa woke up to a small stream of sunlight falling on her eyes. Lazily, she stretched, her wrist hitting the chest of the boy sleeping beside her and waking him up. A very masculine grunt later, a pair of midnight blue eyes stared back at her grey ones before scrunching shut as Will yawned. "Nice way to wake me up, Tess," he mumbled and Tessa laughed softly before saying, "That's how you deserve to be awoken after how you treated that girl last evening."

"Which girl?"

"Emerald."

"The blonde with the cute butt?"

"Will! That is no way to address a lady!"

"It's still too early in the morning for such harsh words Tess."

Tessa turned over and rested her weight on her elbow so that she could look at Will unhindered, "But really Will, you shouldn't lead naïve girls on; it is extremely disgusting and unethical."

"Good heavens woman! You sound as though I raped her."

"From what I remember, the pair of you weren't very far from it."

"Tessa, I haven't even brushed my teeth yet. Couldn't you stow the berating for later? I', sure Cecily would love to aid you." Tessa relented with a chuckle and a roll of her eyes.

Will, Tessa, Cecily and Gabriel had been to a party the previous evening. Emerald was a girl who had shifted to London recently and, unaware of Will's reputation as a notorious player, had succumbed to his virile charm like many before her. He had been flirting with her and had sent her over the moon when he'd given her a rather heated kiss before leaving. Frankly, Tessa had been disgusted; there was nothing gentlemanly about playing with another's emotions. She detested it, but she put up with it. She put up with it because it was only a small part of him, the only part he let the world see. She put up with him because he was first person to have listened to her without judging, to have hugged her the night was hospitalized for an accident that took place while he was driving drunk. She put up with him because he was all that a girl could ask for in a friend, and more. She put up with him because he had always, unfailingly been there for her.

She put up with him because she loved him; always had, always would. Unconditionally.

Will and she had been best friends ever since she moved to London three years ago, and he had always been flitting from one girl to another. The only reason he hadn't tried moving in on her was because she was a bit of a prude. There were rules about how close people could be to her, emotionally and physically. She didn't drink and was extremely reserved. She was blunt to the point of tactlessness and didn't worship the ground he walked on. She didn't look at him like he was a mortal deity, a fallen angel. She didn't walk around practically nude just so he'd notice her.

She was real. She wasn't his sort.

Tessa gave up; there was no point trying to argue with Will before his morning caffeine, he would be extremely unreasonably and snappy before he got coffee in his system. She got off the bed, shivering slightly when the cold air caressed her bare arms. The central heating had broken down the previous night, leading to Will and her sharing a bed. Undoubtedly, Cecily and Gabriel were doing the same in another part of the house. She quickly slid her slippers on and headed to the washroom to begin the day in earnest while Will still enjoyed the last of his drowse while he still could.

Tess met Gab riel in the kitchen, pouring out a glass of apple juice. "Had a good night?" he asked good naturedly.

"You can say so," Tessa responded, setting water for her tea and Will's coffee to boil, "Could you sleep well, given the state of you girlfriend?"

Gabriel coloured up a bit. His crush on Cecily was no secret to everyone but the young Herondale herself. With a shake of his head, he said, "It wasn't so bad. She was out cold as soon as we reached her room. She still was the last I saw her. And did the big baby you chaperone give you a hard time?"

"Not any more than usual."

"Cecily says that he can be a bit of a blanket-hogger. Is that true?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," an amused voice asked from the doorway. Will sauntered into the kitchen in just pajama bottoms, his towel strung around his neck and his hair sticking out at odd angles. He chuckled at the sight of Tessa and Gabriel rolling their eyes together, Tessa accompanying hers with a sharp, "Will!" and a playful slap to his shoulder. "You know Tess, there are times when I think you are more my governess than my friend," he said, pretending to deep in thought. Tessa smirked, a rare occurrence, and said, "You see William, most four year olds need somebody to ensure they don't get into trouble." This had Gabriel howling with laughter, earning him a sharp look from the very bleary eyed, very hungover Cecily who had just entered the kitchen to get herself some water.

 **Love it? Hate it? Tell me!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Can we say Wow! I love you guys. Let's get to 15 reviews now, alright?**

* * *

Later that Saturday, the four of them headed off to a café close to the Herondale manor, where they were all staying. It was ht last weekend of freedom before Tessa and Will had, before they began working. They had already chosen their apartments and flat mates; Tessa would be sharing with Sophie and Will would live by himself till Cecily joined him the following year. On Monday, Tessa would be an editor in a publishing house and Will would join what he called the 'same old, lame old, boring bank', just to appease his parents.

So now, the four were sitting around a table with their coffees, and a marble cake for Cecily. As was their wont, Will and Tessa lost themselves in their own little bubble. They were sitting opposite each other and looking at each other, each twitch of a muscle worth a hundred words.

Tessa raised her eye brows – Are you going to apologize any time soon?

Will inclined his head – I don't know what you're talking about.

Tessa exhaled slowly from her nose – Drop the act William.

Will arched an eye brow – Are you challenging me, Tess?

Tessa looked at him levelly, her eyes hard – Drop. It. Will.

So lost were they in this exchange that they missed Cecily snap out her phone. It was only when they heard the shutter of the camera that the spell broke. Cecily took a sip of her coffee before casually saying, "When you two get married, I want to be the maid of honour."

Later that night, just as Tessa was drifting off, the door of her room opened and Will walked in. The central heating had been fixed, so there was no need to share the bed. Yet, slipped into the covers beside her. However, Tessa was not surprised. She knew Will had trouble sleeping quite often and said nothing, rubbing his back till breaths evened out instead.

* * *

 **I know its very short, but exams.**

 **And Sara? I have the story planned out and that's not quite how it will go. I hope you understand.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Who needs a boyfriend with all you wonderful readers and reviewers? Not me!**

* * *

It had been a very busy week for Tessa. She wasn't used to reading and editing manuscripts, discussing plots and characters with authors, meeting people half her age with stories in their hands and hope in their eyes. Added to that, she couldn't afford to let her frustration and the fact that the job was taking its toll on her show at work; she was still in probation and could be dismissed any day. All week, she hadn't touched her guitar, immersed herself in music and the company of friends or even simple gazed at the sky as her tea grew cold. She hadn't had any time for _her_. By the time she got home from work on Friday, she was irate enough to nearly snap the neck of the infant crying in his mother's arms in the elevator for causing that shrill, godawful racket. Which was why, when her phone rang, the first thing she said on picking up was, "I know I'm easily dispensable, but I refuse to accept any more manuscripts for the weekend; I already have two."

"I'm assuming you didn't check your caller id," said the voice of that one person who could calm her down at any given moment. He was right, she hadn't.

"Hello Will," she said with a sigh, running the fingers of her spare hand through her hair and tugging at a fistful, "I could do with one of your bear hugs now." Will's hugs were as good as well steeped, authentic Darjeeling tea.

"And I would willingly oblige, Tess, but there is a mild issue. I have your spare keys, but I can't exactly unlock the door with my phone in one hand and this box of donuts in the other."

With a delighted squeal, Tessa ran to the door and threw it open. True to his word, Will stood outside, holding his phone and a massive box of donuts. As soon as he had entered and placed the package on the dinner table, Tessa flung her arms around his neck, successfully dropping the entangled pair on the couch. She felt his body shake with laughter as he tightened his arms around her waist. The hug wasn't gentle, it was anything but. Her muscles ached because of how hard she was squeezing him and her waist throbbed under his appendages. No, it was not _gentle;_ it was everything she needed, everything she would ever need.

Will's shirt was cold from the air conditioning of the bank and smelled faintly of his cologne, the air freshener of his car and starch. He smelt of the woody incense she had given him for his office, and faint sweat. He smelt of a long, weary day at work. He smelt of hope and comfort and fun and promises. He smelt of familiarity and _home_. He smelt of  Will and Tessa willingly, readily, steadily lost herself in it.

The aroma of donuts that stilling clung to the fabric only made Tessa hug him tighter.

* * *

 **Chapters will be short guys, my exams are on. I promise you, I'm working on the story every spare moment I get in this notebook I'm using only for this. But exams…**

 **This is, like, a third of the original chapter. I'll keep posting, but they'll be tiny (like this one)**

 **I love you guys, and I'm really sorry. Forgive me?**


	4. Chapter 4

**I love you people so goddamn much, it hurts. Physically.**

* * *

Will spent the night with her. Sophie was still away at her grandmother's and wouldn't be returning before the next month. Her room was empty and Will stayed there, but only after his fingers throbbed from trying to strum Tessa's six stringed. Will was a pianist, he could read music. Tessa had once taught him the strings, chords and finger positions on her guitar, but lack of practice had resulted in miserable sight reading and many errors while playing.

Tessa was a patient teacher and had calmly corrected each of his blunders, explaining each and every correction till they were ingrained in his memory. Then, he stopped making mistakes sprouting from lack of practice and made those from exhaustion instead. It was, after all, half past ten on a working day and the duo hadn't even had dinner yet. The box of pizza and that of donuts were lying, untouched, on the kitchen counter.

Finally, when she was tired of him dozing off on the couch but not moving to the room because he hadn't finished playing the piece, Tessa decided that she had had enough. She all but snatched the sheaves of music, the pick and the instrument from him, before forcing two slices of pizza down his gullet and nearly shoving him to Sophie's bed. She had stayed there, beside him, as he drifted off, and then gone to eat her own dinner.

* * *

She was halfway through her donut, the dessert, when a shout sent her running to a sweaty Will who had just woken up from a night terror.

"It's all alright Will, it's all alright. Ella is happy and safe," she said, while gently massaging his shoulders.

Will was still breathing very hard, "She dies because of me, Tess. If I hadn't been standing in the middle of the road with me earphones on, I would have been able to hear the truck myself. My sister wouldn't have been run over while trying to save me. I might as well have stabbed her in the heart."

"It wasn't your fault Will!"

"It was, Tessa, it was. She wouldn't have died if not for my tomfoolery!" Will was screaming now, his hands clutching the bedsheet, his eyes bloodshot. Each muscle in his body was clenched, taught with tension, like a stretched chewing gum that the tiniest provocation can snap.

Tessa sighed and said, "She did it because she loved you, because you mattered to her. You can't stop people from loving you, William, more so because of the beautiful person that you are. You are so easy to love Will; I wish you could see that. Don't, for even a mere moment, delude yourself into thinking that what happened makes you a monster that killed his sister. If anything, Ella's sacrifice only makes you more precious because somebody died to protect you. Don't think of yourself as a murderer Will, you are much too good for that."

He looked at her like she was the first rain after a long drought, the very embodiment of a miracle. "I-" his voice was hoarse with raw pain and wonder. Clearing his throat, he said, "How do you always have the right thing to say Tess?"

She laughed, soft and breathy, and whispered, "I would be quite a pathetic best friend if I didn't"

The light in his eyes seemed to dim a little at that, but he still pulled her against him. They had been sitting on the bed, the sheets scattered around them. Now, slowly and oh so gently, lay down, bringing Tessa down with him. The sheets were tangled around hid calves and ankles; he detangled and them and placed them over the girl beside him and himself. "Stay with me, Tess. Stay the night beside me," he murmured. He was still wrapped around her, as though he were hiding her from the world and keeping her only for himself. "I need you here now," he whispered into her hair.

Tessa ran her hand soothingly over his biceps, "I'm right here, Will, and I don't intend to go anywhere." That dispelled the tension from his body and he relaxed visibly. Tessa didn't know what to think. While Will and her sharing a bed was no rare occurrence, he had never held her this way. She had helped him every time he had had a nightmare after they became fast friends; he'd never clung to her like she was all that was keeping him tethered to sanity, like he needed her.

And now, he had buried his nose into her hair, inhaling her as he slowly drifted off to sleep, as though he intended to be alerted of Tessa's departure, if she managed to escape his bear grip over her, by the absence of her fragrance. Soon, she found his even breathing and the thrum of his pulse under the fingers she had carelessly placed on the juncture of his shoulder and neck lull her to sleep.

Before the temporary darkness claimed her, she could swear he heard Will mumble, "My Tess," into her hair.

But it could just as well been the sound of his breath on her ear lobe.

* * *

 **Finally a chapter of decent size! I'm sorry for how tiny these are guys. And, yes, the story is kinda slow, so sorry for that too.**

 **WE'RE GETTING TO THE REAL WESSA FLUFF PEOPLE!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Dear Lord guys, I love that you love this story.**

 **Shoutout to Sweetpychoness, the sweetheart who has kept me inspired to write this story regularly. Really looking forward to co-writing with you babe (is that okay? Can I call you that?)**

* * *

When Will woke up the next morning, the bed was empty. He remembered flashes of the previous night; dreaming of Ella, Tessa soothing him, falling asleep with her in his arms. He reached out to touch the other side of the bed. It was cold; she had been up for a while. He was running his fingers through his disheveled hair when he heard Tessa sing.

He shut his eyes and soaked the sound; it had been a while since he had heard her sing. Unlike her regular voice, which was soft and clear, her singing voice was a little serrated and husky and seemed to pierce the walls. After a moment of relishing the sound, he got up and strode into her room.

Tessa was strumming her guitar, just playing chord progression, as she sang. When he entered her room, she offered him a small smile on meeting his gaze and continued singing. He thought back to a time when she only hummed under her breath and stopped the moment anyone approached. His Tessa really had come out of her shell since then.

He took a moment to admire how comfortable she was around him before heading over to her cupboard and pulling the doors open. While helping her move in, he had added a pile of his clothes and some underwear in her cupboard. He also had some of hers back at his place. Both of them knew that they would be spending a lot of time with each other and there would be many sleepovers, so it was best to be prepared. He also picked a spare towel from the bottom shelf of the cupboard before shutting it firmly. He flashed another dazzling grin at Tessa as he moved towards the washroom for a bath.

* * *

Will idly flipped another page of the book he was reading. It was 5 in the evening and Tessa had been adding footnotes to the manuscript she had been proof-reading all day. He stayed at her place till lunch before returning to his own bachelor pad. There was be an informal gathering to bid goodbye to a board member that afternoon, which had ended an hour back, and he was on his way to Tessa's again. After a thought, he made a brief stop at the liquor shop round the corner before parking his car in the basement of her apartment building.

Tessa exhaled in annoyance at, what she thought was, the hundredth grammatical error in the chapter. She was sick of the writer confusing 'there' with 'their' all the damn time. It was when she had been reduced to groaning into her pillow in frustration that she heard the lock click. Moments later, Will barged into her room, evidently having used the spare key she had given him the previous evening. He all but slammed her laptop shut and said, "You haven't budged all day; this is exactly how I left you some 4 hours ago. Come on now, get up. I refuse to let you spend your Saturday lying on your stomach and working."

The poorly drafted story had left Tessa extremely irritable and, with Will suddenly turning up and bossing her around, her restraint shattered to bits, "Let me, Will? 'Let me'? Since when have you been elevated to a position to 'let me' do anything? Precisely who do you think you are?"

Unfettered by her theatrics, Will rolled his eyes and, with an exasperated sigh and, strangely enough, a glimmer in his eyes, said, "I just happen to be your well-wisher, best friend and the gentleman who will just happen to find himself tickling you if you don't wake up in the next ten seconds." In flash, Tessa was up and standing beside him. He shook his head at how predictable she was before leading her out towards the living room. "Will, you don't need to drag me around in mown house," Tessa huffed out, practically jogging to keep up with his quick strides. "I don't trust you to get away from that laptop fast enough," he responded, without either looking her way or letting go of her wrist. He set her down on the couch and, with the air of an instructor, commanded, "Now, you will sit here while I get us some drinks and popcorn. Then, we will watch a movie and you will not think about your job for the next three hours. Are we clear?" Tessa had just uttered a, "Crystal, Captain," that he barely heard before confidently striding into the kitchen.

* * *

Ten minutes later, the duo was settled comfortably, with Will's head on Tessa's lap, watching Devil Wears Prada. A bowl of popcorn, a pitcher of Cosmopolitan and two glasses were kept on the floor in front of them. Within half an hour, the popcorn was over and Tessa went to make some more. When she returned, she also had a bottle of water in her hand. Seeing this, Will paused the film and asked, "Who is that for, Tess?"

"Myself, William."

Will was a little startled, "You would only have had a glassful or so."

Tessa didn't know where he was going with this, but she still said, "I know, but I've got the pleasant buzz from the alcohol; I'm covered for the evening."

"But Tess, that was barely anything! You can't possibly be happy with that."

"I don't intend to get drunk."

His eyes got a playful twinkle, "Don't think you'll be able to control those raging hormones with me around, Gray?"

Tessa slapped his arm, "I'm not one of those pathetic creatures you play with, Herondale."

Will laughed before sobering up and said, "But, seriously, why won't you get drunk?"

She looked down at her fingers, "I've never been drunk. I mean, I drink, but I've never been even remotely close to wasted. I've never wanted to be wasted. It never really helped that I was usually the designated driver."

"Which makes you an adult who has never been truly hammered."

"Pretty much."

Will assumed an expression of mock seriousness as he said, "Well, that cherry needs to be popped doesn't it."

* * *

Three hours later, the 'pleasant buzz' had become a gentle pressure near her forehead and some lightheaded dizziness, her inhibitions reduced to nothing. She'd had five glasses of Will's lethal concoction and had laid her head on his shoulder. The boy was possibly even more inebriated than her, but showed no signs of it. The credits were rolling and the pair had no idea of what he wanted to do next. It was nearing midnight. They had dined on the leftovers of the pizza from the previous night, ut were least inclined to fall asleep. Suddenly, Will removed her head from his shoulder and, by way of explanation, pulled his ipod out of his jeans and waved it in front of her. He got up and took her portable speaker out of the cabinet, where it stayed with other spare electronics. Connecting the two devices via Bluetooth, he pressed play and filled the room with music.

A song with a comfortable rhythm started playing. He sauntered over to her, pulled her up to her feet and led her towards the centre of the room. Taking her hand in his, he twirled her before pulling her into him with a sharp jerk. Before Tessa knew what was happening, her chest was pressed to his and his mouth was close to her ear, his ragged breathing painfully loud. She hadn't taken a stuttering breath when he trailed his free hand down her back and settled it just above her hip, his little finger tantalizingly close to the hem of her tee shirt. Tessa was no innocent virgin, she knew what lust was. She knew how it felt to have adrenaline pulsing in her veins, to feel the blinding _need_ to have somebody tightly pressed against her. What did shock her was the fact that it was Will, her best friend, who made her feel this way. That it was _Will's_ touch that seemed to set her on fire, _Will's_ warmth that she wanted enshrouding her.

With his hands on her waist and hers on his chest, he took two steps backwards, while she took two forwards, before expertly dipping her and swaying her from the left to the right and then straightening her up. Tessa's eyes met his, her cloudy mind trying hard to maintain a light and playful expression. Taking his right hand in her left, she stepped away and then rolled into him, wrapping his arm around her in the process.

They danced for nearly an hour before falling into the couch in a heap. The music was still playing in the background, but they didn't really have the energy to dance any longer. Even on the couch, they found themselves sitting facing each other. The window was towards his back, but the moonlight streaming in through it lit up a portion of Tessa's hair and cheek. It would have illuminated her entire visage if not for the giant of a boy sitting in front of her. Her throat hurt for having sung along with most of the songs, her chest from the amount he had made her laugh. Staring at Will, she wished she was a painter and could capture the ethereal moment in which they were trapped. They would resume being best friend the moment the sun rose on the next day, but that moment felt like something out of a fairytale. With her eyes, she traced the mapping of light and shadow on his face, the slender curve of his jaw and neck, the way his chest moved with every breath. For that moment, she allowed herself to _look_ , specifically when she realized that _he was doing the exact same thing too._

One song came to an end and another started. This one, Tessa knew. This one was familiar. She smiled and mouthed the lyrics, not singing because she didn't have the energy to. The sides of Will's eyes crinkled as he smiled, watching the glint in her eyes and the way her lips shaped the words. Her eyelids partially covered her orbs, her soul lost in the music. He knew she was ticklish in her nose and, leaning close to her, he gently blew on the tip. Her eyes snapped open at the sensation, a giggle escaping her lips and a small chuckle his own.

He couldn't help it. She was right there, his gaze trapped in her own, her face so painfully close that he could feel her breaths. He had liquid courage coursing through his body, trning his better judgement and the fact that she was his _best friend_ to rubble. Just like that, without preamble, he did what the song was asking him, begging him, to do.

 _Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight._

 _Just a touch of the fire burning so bright._

 _No, I don't want to mess this thing up._

 _I don't want to push too far._

 _Just a shot, in the dark, that you just might_

 _Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life._

 _So, baby, I'm alright_

 _With just a kiss goodnight._

* * *

"Tess?"

"Hmmm?"

"You couldn't control those hormones after all."

"Shut up and kiss me, Herondale; none of your nonsense right now."

* * *

 **There, that's done. Let the raving begin! Did it live up to your expectations? I know I've kept everything very vague, there's a little more detail about it in the next chapter.**

 **Until next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Woohoo! And I'm back again! Now, this chapter has a little bit of detail… *wink***

* * *

When Tessa woke up the next morning, the sun seemed to have tripled in intensity, its light blinding her even when they were shut. Her tongue was a scorpion in the desert of her mouth. A battering ram had taken up residence in her head and was steadily pounding away at her temples.

Flashes of the previous night were burned into her mind, her skin. Will's eyes burning hers, his fingers pressed feverishly to her throat. She remembered the feeling of his lips tracing her jaw and leaving soft caresses along her neck and shoulders. She remembered moaning into his chest when he had sensually sucked her throat, and the grunt that had left those magical lips of his when she had tugged at his hair, wanting his as close to her as she could get him. She remembered the cold, hard metal of the Herondale ring pushed hard into her neck, quite a contrast from the hot skin of his fingers. She remembered the fabric of his shirt bunched tightly in her fists, the feverish heat of his breath as it fell on her sweat moistened skin; his wet lips glistening in the moonlight, his eyes boring deep into hers.

 _She had kissed her best friend when both of them were drunk!_ And she didn't regret a single moment. Given half a chance, she would do it again and again and again. She knew of Will's notoriety with women, had seen in with her own eyes, but couldn't find it in herself to care.

And that terrified her.

* * *

I heard Tessa before I saw her. Her bare feet made a soft sound as she came closer to the balcony. It was close to 11 in the morning, much later than the time she normally woke up. I had left some cookies, a painkiller for the hangover and some water on her bedside table; I hoped she had had them.

She came and stood beside, the bottle of water still in her hand; evidently, she had interpreted my unspoken message, she always did. "Good morning," she said softly, raising her eyes to look at me. "Morning, Tess," I found myself speaking softly too. Her eyes looked deep into mine with the intuitive glint that never seemed to leave her. But there was something different, something amiss.

"About last evening Will," she started, but I didn't left her speak. I had realized what was missing. Her eyes held fear and doubt, something I had never seen I them before. I knew it must be because of me kissing her. Gods, I had been so stupid. True, I had hoped to tell her of my ages old crush on her, yet my reputation was hard to leave behind me. She had seen me pick girl after girl and toss them away once I was. Of course she would think I was going to do the same to her; I had no evidence to prove otherwise. So, I did the only logical thing there was to do; I pushed her away.

"Let's not talk about it Tess; we were both drunk and such things happen. They were just a few kisses we shared while inebriated, nothing special. Forget them. Coffee?"

* * *

 **I had to do that. I'm sorry Riya/sweetpsychoness/love/wife.**

 **I still love you though; don't kill me.**

 **Yes Gia, I've completely warped the story. This feels more** _ **Will**_ **to me than the other version. Besides, you've already read it; it's not a virgin anymore.**


	7. Chapter 7

**To any hearts I broke in previous chapter: sorry, not sorry. I still love you guys though. And remember, this is based on that oneshot in Musical Shots; they get a good eight months before…well…you know.**

 **(Of course you don't, we haven't reached that part of the story yet)**

 **For the record, I don't condone smoking. It causes cancer. it's horrible. It was one of the main reasons for my father's heart attack. It's best avoided**

* * *

The first thing Cecily said when she entered the room was, "I think some of the ice cream has melted; it's really hot outside. Have it a while later?" She didn't even wait for an answer and placed the tub of Ben and Jerry's Pina Colada ice cream in the refrigerator. Tessa gently shut the door behind her, taking a shuddering breath to calm her nerves. Cecily's demeanor reminded her so much of another boy, a boy who had been consistently ignoring her all week. It was Friday again and they had barely exchanged more than a few words.

Cecily settled down on her couch and said, "So how about you tell me what my brother has done this time?" Tessa shook her head while taking her seat beside her; all she had told Cecily to do was bring her some ice cream with her when she came for the movie night. Evidently, it was all she needed to understand that things weren't quite right. Her mind drifted to the starstruck expression Gabriel always had around her. For such a perceptive girl, she didn't seem to pay much attention to matters pertaining to her.

* * *

Tessa found herself cursing Cecily as she entered the mansion she was so familiar with. A dim light was on, but she didn't need it to make her way to the stairs. Cecy had convinced her to talk to him, to corner him and push till he had nowhere to run and no choice but to push back. She didn't know if she could do it; when a feral animal is cornered, it attacks more viciously than ever. She took a deep breath, Will meant the world to her and if she had to bear scars and pain to salvage their easy companionship, she would.

Gingerly, she made her way up to the roof, where Cecily had told her meet him. She hoped he would be there. Will had an annoying habit of running away from confrontations.

* * *

 _Once again, I hear you before I see you. Seeing my back turned to you, you clear your throat to get my attention. Don't you know that I always feel you around me, that you always have my attention? I don't think so. I've never told you, have I? I shake my head and chuckle softly to myself. There are so many things that I wish you knew Tess, so many. I wish you knew all those girls were ploys to make you jealous. That I've only ever wanted you, and I shouldn't because you're pure. You're too good for me, Tess. I haven't been able to show my face to you or speak to you very long all week because I didn't want to see the anger, the repulsion in your face. You've never approved of the way I treat most women. I'd always thought that, if I ever kissed you, if you ever let me. I'd make it meaningful, something you would like, something that would make you blush afterwards. I'd thought it would begin with a slight brush and then I'd pull back to see how you react, praying that you would follow my lips and kiss me, harder, deeper, rougher. Is it wrong to think of your best friend like this? I don't know. I don't even know if we will ever amount to anything. I know that you are no chaste virgin, but you have an innocent purity in you. I wish you could purge me of my murk and filth but I know that will never be without me sullying your uncontaminated aura. I belong in hell, Tess, and there is no way I'll take you down with me._

 _"Will?" you say softly. I turn to look at you, still trying to avoid looking into your eyes. I focus, instead, on your nose. You are standing so far away. Too far away. I want to walk towards you, but I simply lean against the railing. Your shoulders are stiff and you are swallowing hard. Do I make you nervous now? Have I ruined every bit of that simple friendship we had? You begin coming towards me and I feel my heart rate pick up and my fingers beginning to tremble. I don''t want you to see my hands shake. I take out the pack of cigarettes and a lighter from my pocket and prepare myself a smoke. I need to have something to do, something to hide your effect on me from you. I can't give you that power over me while knowing that you're here to end it all. You must hate me now, you must._

 _You put your hand on my shoulder blade. Is it strange that I missed the warmth of your touch? Ever since that day, when you used me as your headrest on that bus ride, a week after we became friends, we've always had some or the other form of physical contact, even if it was just our feet touching under the table. This has been a miserable week also because neither of us touched the other. And now, your palm cups my shoulder blade and I almost moan at how much I love that feeling. I think I do moan, a little. I don't know. You make it hard to think. I take a puff of the cigarette, hold it for a while before breathing wispy grey rings out into the night air. From the corner of my eye, I see your gaze following the smoke , your expression one of childlike wonder. I can't help it, I look into your eyes, sparkling like the stars, and almost lose my bearings. You are so beautiful, my Tess, so beautiful._

 _You look back at me, your visage thoughtful. You seem to be weighing a decision; your brow is furrowed and you are biting your lip. I know this sounds feral and vulgar and overused, but I'll be damned if I don't want to be the one biting your lip instead of you. I think back to last weekend, when I was biting that lip. I wait for you to sat something, anything, to save me from my own thoughts. How ironic that you should be both, my damnation and my salvation. It's a bittersweet feeling._

 _At long last, you do speak, but, whatever I had expected, it definitely wasn't that, "Pass me your cigarette, I want to try doing that." I raise an eyebrow, "In all the three years I've known you, I've never seen you with a cigarette." You roll your eyes "I'll learn if you teach me. Yet another cherry for me to pop huh?" I know you were attempting to crack a joke, but that night wasn't a joke for me. It does seem as though it was one for you though. I clench my eyes shut and take a deep breath. What are you doing to me, Theresa Gray?_

 _Without looking at you, I pass you the cigarette. I hear you take a puff too fast and, before I can tell you to slow down, you are bent over, coughing out the smoke. I stroke your back gently as your body expunges the tobacco smoke. When you are a little better you stand up straight and ask for the cigarette again. Your eyes are watery and I'm sure your throat still feels raw and dry. Nevertheless, I return the cigarette to you and say, "Take a slower and smaller drag this time."_

 _Even this method doesn't work and you end up gagging. I thump your back this time, aiding the removal of the smoke. You quickly straighten up again and say, "One last try." I shake my head, "No Tessa, you'll only end up hurting yourself." You glare at me. I sigh in resignation. I can't deny you anything Tess._

 _"Well, this way doesn't seem to be working," you're coughing again. I know of another method. Some of my friends claim to have tried it and apparently it's been successful. I could give it a shot. "Here, have this." There's a bottle of water at my feet. I offer it to you. You take a long_ _draught and I watch you swallow the water, little rivulets of water flowing down the skin of your neck. It takes me while to remove my gaze from that little stain and take the bottle you were returning from your hands. "There's another method of introducing a non smoker to smoking. I need you to trust me. Can you do that?" You nod, and feel relieved. If you still trust me, I might be able to salvage our friendship yet._

 _I take a small drag. When I look at you, your mouth is shut. I place my thumb on your lower lip and gently push it downwards. You seem to understand what I want you to do and you open your mouth. I fit my lips to yours and blow the smoke from my mouth to yours. You hold it for a moment before pushing it out through your nose. I pull back and watch the smoke curling out of your nostrils and mingling with the night air._

 _"Again," you say, a dazed gleam in your eyes. I want to. I really want to, but being this close to you and not kissing you is too much for me. How can you do this, stand feeling the goosebumps on my skin, goosebumps you caused, and not want to end my agony?_

 _I take a deeper drag this time and place my lips on yours. This reminds me too much of kissing you; our mouths touching, the physical proximity driving me to the brink of insanity. I blow the air into you and after a moment's respite, you blow it back to me. I feel the moisture of your mouth in the tobacco air. It takes all of my will power to suppress a groan and avoid kissing you senseless right here on my roof. I pull back and release another set of rings into the air._

 _"Let me try now." You take the cigarette out of my hands and inhale slowly, just at the same speed and intensity with which I was pushing the smoke into you. Your body receives it well now and you hold the poison before pushing it out. You look at me triumphantly and I feel like laughing at how childishly adorable you are sometimes. You take another puff and beckon me closer. This time, you place your thumb on my lower lip and push it downwards. When I open my mouth, you press your lips to mine and push the air into me. I can't help the groan this time. And, when you let out a soft moan, I can't stop myself from pulling you into me and pushing my hand into your hair. Even in this position, I blow the tobacco saturated air back to you. We send the smoke to each other, sharing it intimately through the passage formed by our open mouths pressed closed. We circulate the smoke in our mouths a little longer, till all the chemicals have spilled out from the tiny gaps between our lips and our nostrils and it is just our exhalations we share, just your, welcome, poison seeping into my blood and circulating in my veins._

 _It would be so easy to kiss you now. Please don't ask me to kiss you now. I don't want to mess this up by kissing you now._

 _I really wish I could kiss you know._

 _Distantly, I feel you stub out the the half finished cigarette on the railing and throw it on the street. Then, you wrap my hair around your fingers and draw me in impossibly closer. Even after I blow the last of the smoke out through my nose, we stay joined like a paused make out scene in a movie. Then, I draw away. It feels like running a blade all over my body, but I do it. I turn away from you and stare into the night._

 _"You can't just do that and not kiss me William," you say, a touch of hurt in your voice._

 _I tell myself that I need to save you from me, that you being romantically involved with me is a very bad idea. But damn, if I don't want to kiss you too. So, when you place two fingers on my lips and ask me to kiss you,_

 _I do._

 _God, I do._

* * *

 **Because where would we be without a Wessa roof scene. (Clockwork Agony... erm Angel... anyone?) I think I'll incorporate a balcony scene too, Chiswick style.**

 **2k words in one chapter. This is literally the most I've ever written.**

 **Review people.**

 **Oh,and was that sensual enough to be _them_?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Yes, it's that time of the year.**

 **I'm sorry. I'm really really sorry.**

* * *

Tessa lazily rubbed circles on Will's bare shoulder. They had decided to try and sleep but, despite trying for nearly an entire hour, she felt more awake and energized than she had in a while. However, the boy beside seemed to be asleep, so she tried to lie as still as she could. Suddenly, surprising her, he turned to face her, his eyes open and sparkling. "Can't sleep either, Tess?" he asked, his hand rubbing up and down her arm. She didn't know where they stood now but 'best friends' didn't seem to cut it. "I thought you were asleep," she said truthfully.

"Can't. Not with you here. Not after tonight." Tessa blushed. She knew all too well what he meant. Had he not stopped them when he did, events might have played out very differently.

"Would you rather I went back home?"

"Never." Will pulled her closer.

After a moments pause she said, "Will, shouldn't we talk about what happened?"

He sighed, "What was it to you Tess?"

"A dream come true." If her honesty surprised him, he didn't show it. Perhaps he was used to her brutal candor. He rubbed his nose against her cheek and said, "I was so scared last week Tess. I thought I had ruined things between us for good. You have reservations about people kissing you and I must have broken about a thousand rules. Then you brought it up in the morning -"

"Would you have rather had me forget?"

"Of course not. I thought you would be upset and I didn't want to hurt you, Tess."

"You would have known that wasn't the matter if you had let me finish."

"What would you have said?"

"I would have asked to talk about it, the way we just did. It wasn't very bad, was it."

"It's not over, you still have something to explain. 'Dream come true'?"

"It has been beyond me to control my heart, Will. I have always been fonder of you than any ordinary best friend should. I never acted on it; being friends with you seemed to last longer than any romantic relationship could. Besides, I thought I was far too simple for your taste."

"Nonsense! I had all those women because I could never have you. You were far too pure." He pressed his forehead against hers and shut his eyes. Releasing a shaky breath that spanned across her lips, he continued, "It was as though I was still checking that I was still attractive. Nothing seemed to work with you. I'm not good enough for you, Tess. Staying around you made me want you. So I found distractions. None of them stayed long because that's all they were, distractions. I've only ever wanted you."

Tessa didn't know what to say. Had they really been blind? She had prided herself on being an observant girl, yet she hadn't noticed her _best friend's_ attraction towards her. All the times he had casually touched her or chosen to sit beside her when there were other options available seemed to take on a new meaning. She probably was overanalyzing but she didn't feel it to be uncalled for, a large part of what she had taken as her constant for the past three years had been shattered. If both of them were attracted to each other, what did that make them? Best friends who kiss? Knowing what she did, she was sure she wouldn't be able to take Will dating anyone else but would he be willing to enter a relationship with her?

He did say that she was all he had ever wanted, would that hold true when he saw other more attractive women who could offer what she couldn't, a purely physical relationship with no emotional attachment involved. She knew that if Will and her ever went on to anything more than kissing, she would blurt everything out. Without telling him that she loved him. There was no way that would end well. Not with Will being Will.

"Um, Tess? Don't leave me hanging." Will's eyes were still shut, he hadn't realised that she had drifted away. In spite of all her musing, Tessa didn't know what to say. So she dipped her face, tilted and pressed a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. He tried to capture her lips but she moved away. "Where does this leave us then?"

"Wherever you want it to."

"Don't speak in riddles, Will."

"I'm not. I'll take what I can get. Whatever I can get."

"You want it?"

"You don't?"

"Of course I do."

"As do I."

"Are we decided?"

"I don't know, are we?"

"Will."

"Tess."

"William."

"Theresa."

"William Herondale."

"Theresa Gray."

Tessa laughed and kissed him.

"Tess?"

"Mmm?"

"Is that a yes?"

"It is whatever you want it to be."

* * *

Tessa was on her way back from work when Cecily called. The girl was rather affronted, "How dare you tell me that you and my brother are finally dating over text after waiting for two whole days since it happened?"

"We took that time to decide what we wanted it to be."

"What?" Tessa chuckled, of course she hadn't understood a thing. "Why over text though?"

"I've had a hectic day Cecy, don't be so harsh on me."

"Who asked who out?"

"Nobody. We mutually figured out what we wanted it to be."

" 'It'?"

"Yeah, I didn't get that much either."

" Oh wonderful. Anyway, I've reached Gabriel's. I'll call again sometime."

"Sure."

"Remember to use protection."

"Cecily!"

"I'm just saying."

* * *

 **Well, here we go. That's all I have for today. I'll have another up as soon as I can. Love you all.**


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